1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel method for the selective alkylation of aromatic ethers to produce 4-alkylphenols.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Phenol has found many important industrial and medical applications over the years. It is valuable both as an intermediate in the manufacture of other compounds and as a useful material in its own right. Modern manufacturing processes for production of this compound are described in some detail in the monograph by A. Diericks and R. Kubicka, Phenole und Basen, Vorkommen und Gewinnung (Akademie-Verlag, Berlin, 1958).
Preparation of alkylphenols is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,807 issued to R. W. Etherington & W. W. Kaeding. However, the process provides a mixture of isomers with no apparent selectivity to any one of them.